Chapter 13
Clarke's pov
Once I am awake the next morning, I meet up with Echo to get to the commanders' camp until dawn.
The ride is uneventful and just two hours after setting out from my home, we reach our destination.
Before entering, I turn to my friend. „Ekou, yu kamp raun ai sad, komo yu nou gon ai we. (Echo, you stay by my side, whatever happens you do not leave me.)"
„Dula yu op vout in emo na jomp op yu? kos taim em ste bilaik bilaik ai nou sin in chomouda oso ste hir gon ogeda. Ai sin klin yu desire kos ogonzaun ba yu na nou chok au yu sonraun we taim yu vout in yu na bilaik assassinated. (Do you think they will attack you? Because if it is like that I do not see why we are here at all. I understand your desire for peace but you can not throw your life away when you think you will be assassinated.)" I raise my hand and her rambling goes silent.
„Nou, ai nou vout in emo na tran op frag op ai ba daun nou sei bilaik ai wich emo op. Ai ste nou dumb noumou gon blindly buk au ona der jos kos kom slight chance kos ogonzaun en yu beda get in daun by nau. (No, I do not think they will try to kill me but that does not mean that I trust them. I am not dumb enough to blindly run in there just because of a slight chance for peace and you should know that by now.)"
Echo averts her gaze to the dirt we're walking on. „Sha, ai haiplana. Ai na set raun kom yu en kep yu in klir. Bilaik ai pledged ai na. (Yes, my queen. I will stay with you and keep you safe. Just like I pledged I would.)" I just nod and turn the centre of my field of vision to the sea of tents.
Warriors from all around me, stare and whisper to each other while I walk through the rows of tents that are getting packed up at the moment. Their muffled conversations are, no doubt, about me. Wanheda, that's what they call me; the commander of death. Just a few years ago, I thought I would never even hurt someone and now I'm known for my deathly skills in combat.
Once I see the commander, I immediately get off my horse and walk up to her. „Heda."
She looks up. Her impossibly green eyes fixate on me and I can see a slight tuck at the corners of her mouth like she wants to smile but restrains herself. „Azplana. Yu ste earlier kom ai expected. Osir gada in gon pak op ething op ba oso bes teik in ogud gon hos of ona hashta skrap nabit. (Ice queen. You are earlier than I expected. We still have to pack everything up but we should be ready to go in about half an hour.)"
„Sha, Heda. Ai don dula nou gaf in kep yu in waiting. (Yes, commander. I did not want to keep you waiting.)" I let my lips quirk up into a small smile for the blink of an eye only for the commander to see. Nobody around us, except maybe Echo, is paying enough attention to my face to catch a glimpse of the quick expression.
I know that she saw it but she doesn't say anything after my little comment. The commender only nods and starts giving more orders to the warriors around her.
Half an hour later, as dawn finally breaks, we start our journey to Polis. Heda is at the top of the army, a few rows ahead of me and Echo. It will take roughly one week until we will reach our destination.
The trip is uneventful. Echo and I share a tent, the men and women around us avoid my eyes and talk behind my back when they think I won't notice it and the commander and I share a few words over the whole time. Every now and then I sparr with someone, most times Echo, to keep myself in shape.
It is the last morning of our journey, Polis is only a few hours away by now, and I am about to train with Echo once again because the great warriors of the coalition are not even close to good enough to really challenge me at all.
Just as we get into the space cleared for fighting, I can hear reverent mumbles of „Heda". The commander comes only a few seconds later into view, chin held high, demanding respect. To my surprise she's steering right at me. Her gaze finds mine, green meeting blue, and without once taking her eyes off of me, directs her words to my friend.
„Ekou, gon we dison lanlez. Ai gaf in gon sin in chit gada in yu haiplana em title. (Echo, leave this circle. I wanna see what got your queen her title.)"
I can feel Echo's eyes on me, silently asking for permission. I only nod for her to follow Heda's demand and go to the sidelines. It's reassuring to know that my best warrior and friend will always obey me and me alone.
„Yu gada gon fir raun seintaim ai fiercest warriors. Tich ai op chomouda emo nou dare gon chek au yu edei o chich op louder kom whisper taim yu ste near. (You seem to scare even my fiercest warriors. Show me why they do not dare to look your way or speak louder than a whisper when you are near.)" She smirks slightly for a short moment and I can't help to reply with one of my own. „Yu gaf in laik ai hedplei. (Your wish is my command.)"
With that she turns around, going to the edge of the circle of people who are eager to watch their commander fight. Said commander takes her weapons out and gives them to Gustus, her personal guard. So hand to hand it is. Good, I've already lost my weapons in my tent before coming here.
She takes a few steps towards me, gives me a nod and goes into a fighting stance. I do the same, and with that the fight begins.
We are both patient, I notice when after a few long moments of circling each other neither of us charged at their opponent. I am the first to give in and charge at her as fast as I can, but she's been expecting exactly that and is prepared.
I swing my right fist to connect with her jaw only to be blocked in the last second. Exactly what I guessed would happen. Using the moment, I slam my left fist into her stomach, catching her off guard. With satisfaction, I watch as her face shows a quick moment of surprise at the blow I gave her.
She recovers faster than anyone I've ever fought against and gets my wrist into her hold, twisting my arm behind my back. To get out of her grip, I slam my head back and feel something crack at the impact. As soon as I turn around, my sight catches on Heda's bloody face. I broke he nose.
We keep sparring for something that feels like eternity until we are both sweaty, bleeding and tired, neither of us able to triumph over the other.
Suddenly, the commander swipes her foot into the back of my knee, sending me to the ground and following instantly to straddle me.
I smirk. „Whoa, Heda. Kom we tona kom we ai dig in yu sweaty medo ona ain, ai dig in winning strik bit mou. (Whoa, commander. As much as I like your sweaty body on mine, I like winning a little bit more.)" And with the last part of my words, I use the great commanders flustered state to flip us over. At least I try to, but she composes herself at the last moment and brings her hand to my throat, putting just enough pressure on it to keep me down. She bends forward to whisper into my ear.
„Nau ai sin klin chomouda non wins gon yu. Os luck nes taim ba ai ste nou kom we easily distracted kom we ai gonas. (Now I understand why nobody wins against you. Good luck next time but I am not as easily distracted as my warriors.)" I just smirk at that.
„Is that a challenge, Heda?"
The rest of the day is spend with riding. The commander didn't so much as look my way the whole time but just as I am about to say something, Polis comes into view. It's incredible.
The first thing I notice is a tremendously tall tower that rises far above the houses in it's shadow. I stifle a chuckle but just in that instant the commander looks in my direction.
„What is so funny?" Her voice sounds half-curious, half-amused.
„Nothing, really. I just never imagined a giant candle in Polis."
Her face turns into a slightly offended expression. Did I say something wrong?
„Is there something wrong with candles?"
Oh, I forgot the rumors about the commander and her obsession with candles that mostly the kids talked about two years ago. I didn't think those were true. Guess I was wrong.
„Sorry, I did not mean to offend you. I was just curious."
At that her expression softens a bit for a moment before it goes back to her usual expressionless demeanour. „It's alright. Let's go, so everyone can get home before dark."
Everyone but me.
And Echo.